The Senate has confirmed the nominations of three non-career ambassadors, marking the approval of the first set of nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
The confirmations were made during plenary on Tuesday, two weeks after the President forwarded the names to the upper legislative chamber.
The confirmed nominees are Lateef Kayode Kolawole Are from Ogun State, Aminu Muhammad Dalhatu from Jigawa State, and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke, from Oyo State.
Naijaonpoint reports that the confirmations followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which conducted the screening exercise last week.
The committee, in its report, cleared the three nominees after evaluating their credentials and suitability for the diplomatic roles.
It is worth noting that 64 other ambassadorial nominees earlier forwarded to the Senate by President Tinubu and screened by the committee are yet to be confirmed.
The upper chamber is expected to consider its nominations at a later date.
Meanwhile, the Senate had last week Thursday dismissed reports that it had received petitions or protest letters against any of President Bola Tinubu’s 65 ambassadorial nominees currently undergoing screening.
The clarification came in response to unverified claims circulating in political circles and on social media, suggesting that some nominees, including former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani‑Kayode, ex‑presidential aide, Reno Omokri, and former INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, were facing opposition ahead of their confirmation.
Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, told Punch in an interview midway through Thursday’s proceedings that the upper chamber had not received any formal complaints.
“I am telling you that we didn’t receive petitions from anybody, organisation or legal entity. Not even from any faceless, outlawed and rogue element. There was no petition against any nominee,” he said when asked specifically about the alleged protest letters.
The ambassadorial screening, conducted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, entered its second day on Thursday with several high‑profile nominees appearing before lawmakers.
The exercise has drawn heightened public interest, particularly amid controversies surrounding some nominees’ political pasts and perceived eligibility.
Providing an update on screening progress, Adaramodu noted that lawmakers had already processed more than half of the nominees.
